Dispensing and disposing container system

Abstract

A dispensing and disposing container system is disclosed that includes a primary container having an upper opening and defining a primary compartment, and with a top and a bottom. The system also includes a secondary container having an upper opening and defining a secondary compartment. The system further includes a mounting structure on the primary container that mounts the primary container on the secondary container in a first mounting mode and a second mounting mode. The first mounting mode is characterized by the primary container closing the upper opening of the secondary container and the secondary container supports the primary container. The second mounting mode is characterized by the secondary compartment of the secondary container being accessible through the upper opening of the secondary container is maintained while the primary container is supported on the secondary container.

1. A dispensing and disposing container system comprising:
 a primary container having an upper opening and defining a primary compartment, the primary container having a top and a bottom; 
 a secondary container having an upper opening and defining a secondary compartment; and 
 a mounting structure on the primary container that mounts the primary container on the secondary container in a first mounting mode and a second mounting mode, the first mounting mode being characterized by the primary container closing the upper opening of the secondary container and the secondary container supports the primary container, the second mounting mode being characterized by the secondary compartment of the secondary container being accessible through the upper opening of the secondary container while the primary container is supported on the secondary container; 
 wherein the containers are each in an upright position in the first mounting mode and the second mounting mode; and 
 wherein the mounting structure extends downwardly from the bottom of the primary container to hold the primary container in a position at least partially over the upper opening of the secondary container in the second mounting mode. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  wherein the mounting structure comprises a slot-defining structure on the primary container that defines at least two slots each configured to removably receive a portion of a secondary perimeter wall of the secondary container. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2  wherein the slot-defining structure comprises an annular wall extending from the bottom of the primary container, the at least two slots being formed in the annular wall. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 2  wherein the slot-defining structure comprises a plurality of fingers extending from the bottom of the primary container. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1  wherein the mounting structure is removably insertable into the upper opening of the secondary container to hold the primary container on the secondary container in a manner such that the primary container substantially fully closes the upper opening of the secondary container. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  wherein the secondary container is nestable in the primary compartment of the primary container. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1  wherein the secondary container is fully nestable within the primary compartment of the primary container. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1  wherein the primary container comprises a primary perimeter wall surrounding the primary compartment, and a primary base wall defining the bottom of the primary compartment. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1  wherein the primary container further comprises a lid configured to removably close the upper opening of the primary container. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1  wherein the secondary container comprises a secondary perimeter wall surrounding the secondary compartment and a secondary base wall defining a bottom of the secondary compartment. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1  wherein the primary container comprises a primary perimeter wall surrounding the primary compartment, and a primary base wall defining the bottom of the primary compartment;
 wherein the secondary container comprises a secondary perimeter wall surrounding the secondary compartment and a secondary base wall defining a bottom of the secondary compartment; 
 wherein the mounting structure comprises a slot-defining structure on the primary container that defines at least two slots each configured to removably receive a portion of the secondary perimeter wall of the secondary container; 
 wherein the slot-defining structure comprises an annular wall extending from the bottom of the primary container, the at least two slots being formed in the annular wall; 
 wherein the mounting structure is removably insertable into the upper opening of the secondary container to hold the primary container on the secondary container in a manner such that the primary container substantially fully closes the upper opening of the secondary container; 
 wherein the secondary container is fully nestable within the primary compartment of the primary container; and 
 wherein the primary container further comprises a lid configured to removably close the upper opening of the primary container. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1  wherein the bottom of the primary container is positioned above the top of the secondary container in the first mounting mode. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 1  wherein, in at least one mounting mode of the first mounting mode and the second mounting mode, the primary container does not extend into the secondary compartment of the secondary container. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 1  wherein, in both the first mounting mode and the second mounting mode, the primary container does not extend into the secondary compartment of the secondary container. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 1  wherein the mounting structure comprises a slot-defining structure on the primary container that defines at least three slots, each slot being configured to removably receive a portion of a secondary perimeter wall of the secondary container, said slots being positioned on the primary container such that at least two mounting positions of the primary container with respect to the secondary container are defined in the second mounting mode. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 1  wherein, in the first mounting mode of the mounting structure, the primary container is oriented such that the primary compartment of the primary container is capable of holding contents separately of the secondary compartment of the secondary container. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 1  wherein, in the second mounting mode of the mounting structure, the primary container partially closes the upper opening of the secondary container while maintaining said access to the secondary compartment. 
     
     
       18. A dispensing and disposing container system comprising:
 a primary container having an upper opening and defining a primary compartment, the primary container having a top and a bottom; 
 a secondary container having an upper opening and defining a secondary compartment; and 
 a mounting structure on the primary container that mounts the primary container on the secondary container in a first mounting mode and a second mounting mode, the first mounting mode being characterized by the primary container closing the upper opening of the secondary container and the secondary container supports the primary container, the second mounting mode being characterized by the secondary compartment of the secondary container being accessible through the upper opening of the secondary container is maintained while the primary container is supported on the secondary container; 
 wherein the secondary container is at least partially nestable in the primary compartment of the primary container; 
 wherein the secondary container is fully nestable within the primary compartment of the primary container. 
 
     
     
       19. A dispensing and disposing container system comprising:
 a primary container having an upper opening and defining a primary compartment, the primary container having a top and a bottom; 
 a secondary container having an upper opening and defining a secondary compartment; and 
 a mounting structure on the primary container that mounts the primary container on the secondary container in a first mounting mode and a second mounting mode, the first mounting mode being characterized by the primary container closing the upper opening of the secondary container and the secondary container supports the primary container, the second mounting mode being characterized by the secondary compartment of the secondary container being accessible through the upper opening of the secondary container while the primary container is supported on the secondary container; 
 wherein the mounting structure extends downwardly from the bottom of the primary container to hold the primary container in a position at least partially over the upper opening of the secondary container in the first mounting mode and the second mounting mode; 
 wherein, in both the first mounting mode and the second mounting mode, the primary container does not extend into the secondary compartment of the secondary container; 
 wherein the mounting structure comprises a slot-defining structure on the primary container that defines at least three slots, each slot being configured to removably receive a portion of a secondary perimeter wall of the secondary container, said slots being positioned on the primary container such that at least two mounting positions of the primary container with respect to the secondary container are defined in the second mounting mode.